There is no one solution to crop production issues facing the agriculture industry, said James C. Collins, Jr., vice president and general manager of DuPont Crop Protection, at the 11th International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry - International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry (IUPAC-ICPC) in Kobe, Japan.

Collins said both chemical and genetic solutions are essential to meeting the demands the future will have on agriculture. An example is the Optimum(TM) GAT(TM) trait from DuPont, which represents the next generation of weed control. It will help farmers control more weeds and weeds that have developed resistance to popular herbicides by combining a new biotech trait with new chemical weed control solutions. What's more, in soybeans the trait is going to help boost overall yield.

"Technology will drive change in the years ahead. Across the global crop production industry, we will need to look at creative business models to meet the demands of the public for new technologies. Innovation is key to the future, including seed and chemical collaborations. Replacing older technologies with safer, more effective crop solutions will lead to growth opportunities for companies that understand this trend," Collins said. "Demand for proprietary products has risen steadily over the past six years, underscoring the need for novel crop protection products and growers' willingness to pay for them.

"Biofuels are experiencing incredible growth and that is going to accelerate. Science and innovation in seed and chemistry will be key to increasing agricultural productivity to levels needed to meet the demands," Collins said. "At the same time, biotechnology is increasing the productivity of the processes used to make biofuels and increasing the options for what can be used as feedstock.

"The impact of biotechnology also remains dramatic, and consumer acceptance will become more favorable as direct benefits can be demonstrated," he said.

According to Collins, a number of factors are impacting the industry in 2006 and beyond:

• A complex global regulatory decision-making process;
• Product re-registration timelines;
• Uncertainties such as terrorism, price/availability of oil and water, natural disasters;
• Energy prices;
• Future commodity crop price levels;
• Government support for agriculture; and
• Traits and geographic expansion for genetically modified crops.

"Bringing together science from many different disciplines is the key to overcoming those challenges," Collins said. "That's why DuPont is positioned across the food, feed, fuel, and materials value chain where it gains market insight to address customer needs and find the most sustainable solutions."

DuPont (NYSE: DD - News) is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

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